Andhra Pradesh Nods ₹1,000 Crore Drone Manufacturing Policy

The Andhra Pradesh cabinet sanctioned a policy aimed at fostering drone manufacturing and services in the state, intending to draw investments exceeding ₹1,000 crore in the sector, which is projected to yield ₹3,000 crore in revenue through drones and its related ecosystem.

Following the cabinet meeting, state information and public relations minister K Parthasarathy informed reporters that the Andhra Pradesh Drone Policy, effective for the next five years, aims to establish at least 100 drone companies involved in manufacturing, research and development, training and skill development, as well as service provision.

“Apart from generating employment of thousands of people in this sector, the government also wants to encourage drone exports valued at ₹1,000 crore in the next five years,” he said, adding that the government had announced an allocation of ₹500 crore to support the implementation of this drone policy throughout the policy period.

The policy also seeks to set up 20 organizations for drone remote pilot training and 50 centers of excellence in engineering colleges, industrial training institutes, and polytechnic schools. “The policy was provisioned to train 25,000 drone pilots, creating 40,000 jobs in the sector,” he said.

The government has declared a “Drone City” on a 300-acre site in Orvakal, Kurnool district, marking the first of its kind in Indian territory. The suggested "Drone City" will serve as a hub for the drone ecosystem, featuring shared facilities for research and development, manufacturing, and testing of drone technologies.